Kenneth MacLean, 1933-2026

Kenneth MacLean, the accomplished Highland Society of London Gold Medallist, piping teacher and judge, passed away peacefully in Kilmarnock, Scotland, aged 93, on April 4, 2026.

A longtime pupil of the great Donald MacLeod, MacLean achieved the Gold Medal in 1974 playing “The Battle of Bealach nam Brog” after placing second twice.

With Seumas MacNeill, he taught at the College of Piping on Otago Street for many years, serving as one of the institution’s principal instructors from its early days. MacLean helped run the famously fun and occasionally raucous Thursday Evening Class with Tommy Pearston and Dugald MacNeill, and later ran the weekly night on his own.

Despite his historic success at age 41, his professional career limited his availability to compete. He returned to the boards in the late 1980s, getting to the prize-lists in the Gillies Cup and Bratach Gorm premier piobaireachd events at the Scottish Piping Society of London’s competition, earning an invitation to compete in the Silver Chanter piobaireachd contest in Dunvegan, Skye.

He was appointed personal piper to the Chief of the Clan MacLean and helped compile The Pipe Music of the Clan MacLean collection. In his retirement from paid work, MacLean served as the piping instructor for Ayrshire Schools for several years and offered private tuition from his home.

The funeral is on April 22nd at 11:00 at Linn Crematorium, Glasgow.

Our sympathies go to his family and many friends around the world at this sad time.

– with thanks to Alan Minty for providing information about Kenneth MacLean.